Heel and shank lasting machines



Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN 2,369,155

HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ventor Syd/n37 Jflklz Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN H 251. AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES 17 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 5, 1955 Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES l7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 5, 1955 Jan. 20, 1959 5. J. FINN 2,8

HEEIZ. AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 5 4 w r y W a 6 L n J 4 e a a v w a Z 4 6 W 0 8 2 2 w "7 v E 22mm 1 u. E? 1 o W kw Jan. 20, 1959 5.1. FINN 2,869,155

HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet e Jan. 20, 1959 5. J. FINN 2,869,155

HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 V 17 Sheets-Sheet '7 Jan."20, 1959 S. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK LAS'IING MACHINES 1'7 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 5, 1955 In ventor Sidney J/q'mz Jan. 20, 1 959 s. J. FINN 2,369,155

HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 v 17 Sheets-Sheet 9 Jan'.20, 1959 S. J. FINN HEEL AND' SHANK LASTING MACHINES 17 Sheets-Sheet 10 I Filed May 5, 1955 J '19 J. Flh lN 2,869,155

'HEEL AND SHANK LASTING'MACHINES' Filed May 5, 1955 Ia? XX[ 1'? Sheets-Sheet 11 In ventor Sidney Jib:

Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN 2,869,155

' HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Fil ed May 5, 1955 17 Sheets-Sheet 12 aw- 6 62% Lwen tar Sidney JE'nrz Jan. 20,1959 5. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES 17 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed May 5, 1955 Inventor Sidneyj/Z'nn By hi '6 -r I Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES 17 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed May 5, 1955 In ventor Sidneyffilhn S. J. FlNN HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Jan. 20, 1959 17 Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed May 5, 1955 In van for Sidney Jlz'nn Jan. 20, 1959 s. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK- LASTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1955 1 l7 Sheets-Sheet 16 'IIIII S. J. FINN HEEL AND SHANK LASTING MACHINES Jan. 20, 1959 17 Sheets-Sheet 1'7 Filed May 5, 1955 lfiventor Sidney 11/ 1 1/ bis! 60 United States HEEL AND SHANK LASTING Machines Sidney J. Finn, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Boston, Mass, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 5, 1955, Serial No. 506,135

87 Claims. (Cl. 12--8.5)

broader utility and hence not limited to use in a machinefor lasting both the heel end andthe shank portions of a shoe at the same time or to embodiment in the exact mechanical construction herein disclosed.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved machine for lasting the heel ends and shank por ions of shoes which is very dependable and efiicient in operation and, at the same time, is capable of handling a wide range of different sizes and styles of shoes with a minimum amount of operator skill and labor. With that purpose in view, the herein illustrated machine, which like the prior machine of the above-mentioned patent is intended primarily for, but by no means limited to, use in the lasting with adhesive of the heel ends and adjacent shank portions of shoes, the toes and foreparts of which have previously been lasted, for example, in a machine of the type illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 2,703,420, granted March 8, 1955, on an application filed in my name, is provided with a pair of heel seat wipers for wiping the lasting margin of the upper materials around the heel end of a shoe inwardly over the bottom of the shoe and two groups of shank wiping elements each including a number of shank wipers for wiping the lasting margin of the upper materials along the shank portions at the opposite sides of the shoe inwardly over the bottom of the shoe. These heel seat wipers are mounted for rectilinear advancing movements toward the shank wiping elements and for arcuate swinging closing movements and initially are separated from the shank wiping elements, while the shank wiping elements are mounted for advancing movements in directions extending toward the opposite sides of the shoe.

In accordance with a feature of the invention, the herein illustrated machine is provided with a pair of intermediate wipers each of which is operatively associated with a heel seat wiper and a shank wiper in such a manner that the wipers present a substantially continuous and uninterrupted wiping surface to the upper materials as the heel seat wipers are advanced and closed and the shank wipers advanced. More particularly, each of these intermediate wipers is pivotally connected to a shank wiping element and is slidably received in one of the heel seat wipers so that the intermediate wipers are free to move inwardly with the shank wiping elements and to telescope within the advancing heel seat wipers as the heel seat wipers are advanced and closed and the shank wiping elements advanced. With this novel and improved arrangement, the upper materials are wiped smoothly in over the bottom of the shoe at the heel end areas thereof and in the shank portions at the opposite sides of the shoe without any line of demarcation between the zone of action of the heel seat wipers and that of the shank wiping elements. Preferably, the heel seat wipers are adapted to be advanced by fluid pressure operated means and during such advancing movement are closed by additional fluid pressure operated means, the latter being under the control of cams which control the swinging movements of these wipers in accordance with the advancing movements thereof. Thus very powerful yet accurately controlled advancing and closing movements are imparted to these wipers without, however, subjecting the aforementioned cams to undue stress and wear.

The two groups of shank wiping elements of the herein illustrated machine each comprise a plurality of articulated shank wipers or wiping elements which are contiguously arranged so as to provide a substantially continuous and uninterrupted wiping surface and these two groups of elements are each supported on a carrier which is mounted for advancing movement toward the shank portion of a shoe being lasted. Moreover, the shank wiping elements of each group are so arranged that the wiping surface thereof has a flat portion and a curved portion for operating, respectively, on the flat and curved portions of the shank of the shoe. In order to accommodate shoes of ditferent sizes and/or styles, there is, in accordance I with a further feature of the invention, associated with iii) each carrier 21 control member which is movable relatively to the carrier for varying the positions of the shank wipin elements to vary the contour of the wiping surface provided by these elements. More particularly, each of these control members is movable, relatively to its associated carrier, in a direction extending lengthwise of the shoe being lasted to change the positions of the flat and curved portions of the wiping surface in directions extending lengthwise of the shoe thereby to vary the contour of the wiping surface to accommodate shoes of different sizes and is movable angularly, relatively to the carrier, for varying the positions of the wiping elements to change the angular relationship between the fiat portion and the curved portion of the wiping surface to vary the contour of the wiping surface to accommodate shoes of different styles. In the herein illustrated machine, the angular movements of the two control members are effected manually by the operator while the movements of the control members in directions extending lengthwise of the shoe are effected automatically by power operated means, prior to movements of the carriers to advance the shank wiping elements toward the shoe, and the extent of movement of each of the control members in a direction extending lengthwise of the shoe is limited by a member which is movable with each control member and engageable with the curved part of the shank portion on that side of the shoe so that the contour of the wiping surface is automatically determined in accordance with the size of the particular shoe then being lasted.

For augmenting the action of the heel seat wipers and of the shank wipers to draw the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over the bottom of the shoe and to cause these wipers to exert a substantial pull for tensioning the upper materials about the last, theherein illustrated machine is provided with a plurality of retarder fingers, certain of which are adapted to cooperate with the heel seat wipers while others are arranged to cooperate with the shank wipers. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the retarder fingers which cooperate with the heel seat wipers are associated with a fluid pressure operated abutment member arranged to be moved into a position for engaging the heel seat portion of the insole of the shoe being lasted to determine the heightwise position of the shoe relatively to the wipers during the operation of the machine. Initially, this abutment member is positioned remote from the bottom of the shoe and during its movement, by the mentioned fluid pressure operated means, to an operative position for engagement with the insole of the shoe, the retarder fingers associated therewith are moved to their operative positions by means which are arranged to yield and thereby permit movement of the fingers inwardly in response to pressure of the upper materials thereagainst by the inwardly moving heel seat wipers. When in their operative positions, these heel seat retarder fingers are arranged to project somewhat beyond the aforementioned abutment member and are moved, relatively to the abutment member, against the resistance of spring means, so that they serve as insole holddowns for pressing the marginal edges of the heel seat portion of the insole yieldingly against the bottom of the last, during a continued movement of the abutment member prior to its engagement with the insole. More particularly, a pair of plunger-s are mounted adjacent to the abutment member for sliding movements relatively thereto of extents which are limited by cooperating stop means on the plungers and the abutment member and which are resisted in one direction by springs. The retarder fingers are pivotally mounted on these plungers, and connected to these fingers are yieldable means which are arranged to swing the retarder fingers to their operative positions in response to movement of the abutment member toward the shoe. When in their operative positions, these retarder fingers project somewhat beyond the abutment member so that they first engage the marginal edge of the heel seat of the insole and are then moved yieldingly heightwise of the shoe against the resistance of the mentioned springs during the continued movement of the abutment member prior to its engagement with the insole. When the heel seat wipers are operated to wipe the lasting margin of the upper materials inwardly over the bottom of the insole, these fingers are swung inwardly against the resistance of the aforementioned yieldable means and thus cause the heel seat wipers to exert a tensioning pull on the upper materials.

The other retarder fingers which are arranged to cooperate with the shank wipers are also pivotally mounted for inward swinging movements against the resistance of spring means to which they are releasably connected by means of toggle links. Initially, these shank retarder fingers are positioned in locations remote from their points ofengagement with the insole of the shoe in directions extending both heightwise and lengthwise of the shoe and the toggles formed by the mentioned links are broken. During an early stage in the automatic operatmg cycle of the machine, the toggles formed by these links are first straightened to move the associated retarder fingers in a heightwise direction toward the insole and thereafter these fingers are moved bodily in a direction extending lengthwise of the shoe until the retarder fingers on the opposite sides of the shoe which are located closest to the toe end of the shoe are brought into engagement with the insole in the upwardly curving part of the shank portion of the shoe. Conveniently, and as herein illustrated, the means for thus moving the shank retarder fingers in directions extending lengthwise of the shoe is also arranged to effect movement of the aforementioned shank wiper control members relatively to the shank wiper carriers andthe engagement of the shank retarder fingers with the insole in the upwardly curved shank portion of the shoe thus serves to limit the movement of the control member for the purpose set forth above. During the advancing movements of the shank wipers, these retarder fingers are swung inwardly against the resistance of H the spring means to which they are connected by the toggle links, thus causing the shank wipers to exert a tensioning pull on the uppermaterials. Eventually, the toggles formed by these links are broken, by suitable cam means, thus releasing the. retarder fingers for movement 4 to their inoperative positions and providing clearance space for the further advance of the shank wipers.

In order to facilitate the lasting operation, the herein iilustrated machine, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, is provided with means for automatically presenting the shoe to be lasted to the machine in the correct operating position relatively to the wipers regardless of the size of the shoe. This means includes a movable support or carrier on which the shoe to be lasted i1 placed by the operator while the carrier is in a convenient loading position. Thereafter, upon the initiation of an automatic operating cycle of the machine in response to the depression of a foot treadle, the carrier is moved, preferably by fluid pressure operated means, from its inoperative or loading position to an operative position and means controlled in accordance with the size of the shoe on the carrier are provided for limiting the extent of such movement of the carrier to cause the carrier when in said operative positionlto locate the shoe in the same lengthwise position, relatively to-the wipers, regardless of its size. More particularly, the carrier is first moved from its inoperative position inwardly of the machine somewhat beyond the operative position and thereafter is moved outwardly to the operative position, this outward movement being effected by means including a. pair of shoe centering arms the movements of which are controlled in accordance with the size of the shoe on the carrier thereby to limit the extent of such outward movement in such a way that the carrier when in its operative position locates the shoe thereon in the same lengthwise position, relatively to the wipers, regardless of its size.

Associated with the carrier is a stop member for engaging a shoe placed on the carrier to determine the heightwise position of the carrier and also of the shoe thereon prior to the movement of the carrier from its loading position to its operative position and means are provided for automatically withdrawing this stop memher during the movement of the carrier to its operative position thereby removing the stop member from the path of the heel seat wipers when they are subsequently advanced and closed. Immediately after the carrier has thus moved to locate the shoe thereon in a proper lengthwise position relatively to the wipers, the fluid pressure operated abutment member, which has been mentioned above, is moved downwardly and into engagement with the insole at the heel end of the shoe thereby slightly depressing the carrier to position the shoe in the proper heightwise location relatively to the wipers. Now the carrier is forced upwardly bypower operated means. herein illustrated as fluid pressure actuated, to clamp the shoe firmly against the abutment member during the operation of the wipers. In order to prevent retrograde movement of the carrier during the operation of the wipers, there is associated with the fluid pressure operated means, utilized to move the carrier inwardly of the machine to its operative position, a valve which is normally open to admit fluid under pressure to the carrier moving means and which is arranged to be closed in response to the actuation of the wipers thereby trapping operating fluid and locking the carrier against retrograde movement. 7

As indicated above, the abutment member which is moved into engagement with the insole to determine the heightwise position of the shoe on the carrier reiatively to the wipers is actuated by fluid under pressure. For the purpose of augmenting the action of the Wipers to press the lasting margin of the upper materials firmly against the bottom of the shoe and thus to facilitate the adherence of the upper to the'insole, the herein illustrated machine is provided with a valve which is normally adapted to admit fluid under pressure to the fluid pres sure operated means for moving this abutment member and with'means operable during the inward movement of the wipers for shifting this valve to a position for con necting the mentioned pressure operated means to exhaust, thereby causing the carrier to be elevated by its operating means to-press the "hoe against the wipers with increased force.

ecause of the above referred to action of the wipers to exert substantial tensioning pulls on the upper materials, the herein illustrated machine, in accordance with a further feature of the invention, is provided with a flexible U-shaped band for embracing the heel end and adjacent shank portions of the shoe being lasted to press the upper materials firmly against the last and thereby to prevent distortion or displacement of these materiats relatively to the last during the operation of the machine. As herein illustrated, this band is located initially in a position to engage the heel end of a shoe on the carrier when the carrier is in its loading position and is mounted for movement with the carrier in response to pressure of the shoe thereon as the carrier is moved to its operative position. Associated with the outer ends of this tJ-shaped band are springs which yieldably resist such movement of the band by the shoe as the carrier is moved to its operative position and, in thus resisting the movement of the band, cause it to be wrapped snugly around the heel end and adjacent shank portions of the shoe on the carrier. Further to augment the action of the band, the herein illustrated machine is also provided with fluid pressure operated means for pressing the hand against the opposite sides of the shoe in the vicinity of the shank portion thereof.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a lasting machine embodying the features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine with certain por tions emoved and others broken away;

Fig. 4 is an inverted view of a detail of construction;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the machine shown at a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of a detail of construction;

Fig. 7 is another exploded View of a detail of construction;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a portion of the machine shown at an enlarged scale and with certain parts in horizontal section;

Fig. 9 is a View in side elevation of a portion of the machine with parts shown in section substantially on line IXIX of Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is an exploded View of a part of the operating mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 11 is a view in front elevation of a portion of the machine;

Fig. 12 is a view in rear elevation of the portion of the machine shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a portion of the shown in Fig. 11;

Fig. 14 is a view of a part of the machine shown in Fig. 11 with certain parts shown in vertical section;

Fig. 15 is a view in side elevation of a part of the machine shown in Fig. ll;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a portion of the machine with 7 machine certain parts removed;

Fig. 20 is a view in section substantially on line XXXX of Fig. 19 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 21 is a view in section substantially on line XX1-XXI of Fig. 19 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of a portion of the machine with certain parts broken away and others shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 23 is a view in section substantially on line XXIIIXXIII of Fig. 22 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 24 is a view in front elevation and 'at an enlarged scale of a portion of'the machine;

Figs. 25, 26 and 27 are a series of views in front elevation of certain operating elements shown in different positions assumed during a cycle of operation of the machine; i

I Fig. 28 is a plan view of a portion of the machine with certain parts broken away;

Fig. 29 is an exploded view of certain operating elements of the machine;

Fig. 30 is a view in section of a control valve;

Fig. 31 is a view in front elevation of another detail of construction;

Fig. 32 is a view in vertical section of another control valve associated with the machine;

Fig. 33 is a diagrammatic view of the fluid pressure operated mechanisms of the machine; and

Figs. 34 and 35 are diagrammatic views illustrating certain aspects of the operation of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, the machine which is illustrated therein is adapted to last the heel seat and adjacent shank portions of a shoe by means of a pair of heel wipers 5d, 5d and a plurality of shank wipers 6t, 6%, see Fig. 28. Cooperating with these wipers to facilitate the r lasting actions are a plurality of retarder fingers, there being two of these fingers 7d, 72 on each side of the shoe for cooperating with the heel seat wipers, see Figs. 11, 12 and 15, and two fingers 74, 7s on each side of the shoe for cooperating with certain of the shank wipers, see Fig. 16. In order to accommodate right or left shoes of different sizes and of varying heel heights, the shank wipers are of a novel construction to be described below and are automatically set for the size of the particular shoe being lasted by mechanism which will also be described below. During the operation of the machine, the shoe S being lasted, herein illustrated as comprising an upper u and insole i assembled on a last I, is supported on a carrier, indicated generally by the reference character 80, see Figs. 3 and 5, and is positioned in a heightwise direction relative to the wipers by engagement of its heel seat with a heel abutment, or height gage $2, see Figs. 11 and 12. Arranged to embrace the heel end of the shoe is a flexible heel band 84, Fig. 3, this heel band being also adapted to extend forwardly of the shoe beyond its shank portion. For pressing the heel ban-d firmly against the opposite sides of the shank portion of the shoe a plurality of side clamps 85, 86 are provided, see Figs. 8 and 18, while a pair of centralizing members 88, 83, see Fig. 8, are arranged to press the heel hand against the opposite sides of the heel end of the shoe.

The several operating elements of the machine are operated in predetermined time relation by means of fluid pressure actuated pistons under the control of a plurality of sequence valves, fluid under pressure being supplied by means of a pump Y, driven by an electric motor Z which takes operating fluid, such as oil, from a sump 1% and delivers it to a main control valve A through a main pressure regulator valve X, see Fig. 33. For supporting the various operating elements the machine has a fabricated frame, indicated generally by the reference character 102, on which there is mounted a head casting having upper and lower portions 104 and 106, respectively, see Figs.

, 1, 2, 3, 11 and 12.

The shoe carrier 39 comprises a carriage iZt) whichis; 

